More modern than red lips, and present all over the spring runways, orange lips are easier to pull off than you think! The shade flattering on most skin types, and really makes eyes stand out.

With any bright lip, be sure to keep your eye makeup minimal. Load up on mascara, and perhaps a thin line of eyeliner. Don’t be afraid to go into your local makeup counter and play with different shades from peachy orange, pink orange, coral, red orange, and straight up day glo orange! Here’s my take on the trend:

Lately I’ve been trying to take advantage of my time off the road to do test shoots like crazy! For those of you who are wondering what that is, let me break down the world I live in a bit. A test shoot is where myself, a photographer, models, and sometimes a stylist collaborate on a shoot together. Sometimes I even recruit a separate hair person, so all my focus goes to my first love: makeup. No one gets paid, but everyone gets awesome images for their portfolios(aka books). Awesome portfolio=paid jobs🙂 It’s a great way to always stay on your toes creatively and try new things in an industry that is constantly on to the next trend. Think of it like practice! It’s also a great way to develop relationships with people in the industry while keeping your book from getting dated. We spend time brainstorming shoot ideas and thinking of concepts we’d like to see in our own books. Anywho, I’m sorting through some images from recent tests and here are a few that are my current faves. As I do more shoots, and receive more images…I’ll continue to share. (Makeup and Hair by me in all images. First 3 images shot by A.L. Canterbury and the rest by TL Pascoe)

This is the amazing Nikki. I got ahold of her just before she started jetsetting around the world to different agencies that wanted her! She will definitely be one to watch!

Channeling Jackie O

Love this image! I was so proud of this hairdo. My first attempt at anything like this.

This picture is just too adorable for words.

A very nice man let us hijack is truck randomly on the street in Venice (molly & Nick)

Visiting my grandma’s house as a child, I would always sneak into her bedroom to stare at her wall filled with pictures of a family who existed before I did. My adolescent mother was a natural beauty, but the look captured in her blue eyes revealed she was completely unaware of this fact. She was perched on a horse with long, straight, dark, and parted-down-the-middle hair. A trademark look of a child born in the 60’s. I imagined what it would be like to meet the woman staring back at me from the beneath the glass. Somehow travel back into time to know her as Brenda, and not as my mother. I always thought this would help me understand life from her perspective. I would then wander over to the framed portraits of my grandparents. It was hard to wrap my young mind around the concept that this was the same man sitting in the recliner eating Werther’s Originals, and the same woman filling the house with the smell of homemade biscuits. Ben, my grandpa was so handsome in is uniform, giving Don Draper a run for his money. Even in still photos, men exuded such honor back then. My grandmother, aptly named Bonnie, looked like a doll in her pictures. Her hair was meticulously styled and always complimented by the perfect lipstick. It was an era in which people took such pride in the way they looked; probably to distract from the headlines of the time. While I do appreciate the freedom women of my generation have to wear sweats and ponytails to the grocery store, I daydream about days filled with such glamour.

As a very awkward and lanky pre-teen, I recall watching my mom in awe as she curled her eyelashes with a strange contraption. Then she so effortlessly applied the classic pink tube Maybelline mascara to her lashes. I was an inquisitive child, and often asked why her mouth hung open so funny while she did this. I now do the same. I remember thinking how great her eyelids were, how high her eyebrows arched, how beautiful she was, and how I hoped to be half as pretty as her someday. These are also the years that our family faced many hardships. I was a sponge who soaked up a lot of sadness. However, it’s been said that in all darkness there is light. I believe this is where my love affair with makeup began. If I could find just find beauty in something, even as small a notion as painting up my face to feel pretty, then all was right in my little world. I don’t think I was even allowed to wear makeup yet, but I always snuck into my mom’s makeup drawer in the bathroom. I would try to remember every detail of how she applied her makeup, and do my (not so) best to recreate it on myself. One day in sixth grade, I got brave and found old crusty tube of tacky coral lipstick at the back of this glorious drawer. I hid it in my backpack, took it to school, and put it on in the girls’ bathroom just before the bell rang. I wore it proudly! Judging by the looks on my classmates’ faces, there was probably a reason the lipstick was at the back of the drawer. Apparently, it didn’t look as fabulous as I thought it did. Even Piccasso had to start somwhere.

I really enjoyed watching the Emmy Awards on Sunday night. Most of my favorite shows and actors were not only winners on stage, but also on the carpet! A few trends I noticed were one shoulder gowns, navy as a change from black , shimmering champagne dresses, and non fussy hair and makeup. I thought I’d share a few of my favorite red carpet looks. Who were your favorites?

Nina Dobrev in Zuhair Murad: I love everything about this look! The emphasis on her mysterious eyes paired with a subtle lip is incredibly sexy. The perfectly non perfect updo and one shoulder dress really accentuate her amazing shoulders. This was my favorite head to toe look of the evening. Everything from hair, makeup, dress, and accessories really came together as a 10 in my book🙂

January Jones in Versace: People will either love or hate this look, and I happen to love it! I love that she always seems to take risks in her fashion choices. She is able to go from the classic Betty Draper from the past and now “Dons” an edgy futuristic look. The effortless bedroom hair and understated makeup properly showcase this electric blue dress as a work of art.

Kiernan Shipka in Papo d’Anjo: Little Sally Draper looks absolutely adorable and refreshingly age appropriate. She must have good parents🙂 I love the the girly accents on the dress and her rosy cheeks.

Amber Riley in Melissa Masse: I admire a woman who isn’t afraid to show off her curves, especially in a white dress! She radiates a sparkling confidence, and her look parallels her radiant smile. She looks like a goddess.

Claire Danes in Giorgio Armani Privé: I’m a sucker for sparkle, so I think this is my favorite gown of the night. I love the monochromatic look of the blonde hair, shimmering golden skin and champagne dress. Lack of accessories allows the dress to stand on its own. Her makeup is sexy yet fresh, making her eyes her best accessory to the dress.

I’m off to buy Temple Grandin and You Don’t Know Jack! I’ve been dying to watch them ever since Sunday🙂

Hey guys, so I know I usually stick to makeup blogs…but I thought I’d share some personal writing with you instead today. I sort of have a love affair with trees. They have become a symbol of many things for me. The tree has become a bit of a life mantra for me over the last few years. People always ask me why I got my tattoo or what it means…well I wrote this poem about a tree as a way to parallel what kind of person I want to be in life. Which then inspired the tattoo as a daily reminder🙂 hope you like it, as this is the first time I’ve publicly shared my writing. Be gentle😉

I Want to Be a Tall Tree

I want to be a tall tree…
grounded by roots that deeply run
beneath the shade of
branches stretching for the sun

I want to be a tall tree…
bending with the blowing winds;
surviving the storm as
a shelter to the nests within

I want to be a tall tree…
leaves dying in the cold.
colors changing with the seasons
as new blossoms replace the old.

Here’s the vlog I promised you guys if I got to 1500 followers on twitter! Thanks so much for all the support. I love being able to share something I love to do, even if I may not love being on camera as much😉 It’s simple, fresh and quick. It mostly focuses on one of my new favorite products. Aqua creams by Make Up For Ever, this particular one is hot pink of course🙂 Hope you guys enjoy. Let me know if you have any questions.